Teddy Anderson will be stopping in Moose Jaw on his most recent tour, bringing hoop dancing and a message of inclusion to his audience at King George Elementary and École Ducharme on Apr. 15 and 16, respectively.
Anderson has cultural permission from his Lakota mentor Kevin Locke to train and perform hoop dancing, and his performance includes up to 30 hoops at one time and can be interactive, getting the audience involved in a participatory hoop dance.
The tour is both a demonstration of hoop dancing from a trained dancer but also a motivational speech and an educational experience as well. Anderson’s goal is to inspire his audiences with a message of oneness and peace, and to inspire people to consider themselves as “members of One Human Family.” His talks often touch on topics such as bullying, racism, human rights, the value of education, and more.
Although Anderson is not of First Nations descent, he has deep connections with First Nations’ peoples and has been adopted into the Tagish/Carcross First Nation’s, as a part of the Deishitaan clan. His hometown of Red Deer considers him family, and his experience traveling to different countries has given him a unique perspective of the issues that children face.
Alongside being a hoop dancer and respected ally, Anderson is also a part of Medicine Wheel Education, a company that publishes First Nations’ children’s books. Anderson’s own book, “Medicine Wheel: Stories of a Hoop Dancer” has sold copies all over Canada.
The tour will also be stopping at St. Michael’s Elementary in Weyburn in the afternoon of Apr. 16, Assiniboia Park Elementary in Weyburn on Apr. 17, and Sacred Heart Elementary in Estevan on Apr. 18. This tour is affiliated with the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Council (OSAC) and is not the first time Anderson has paired with OSAC to reach children in Saskatchewan; he also toured in 2011 and 2015, with glowing reviews about his performances.
Anderson's tour will be stopping at a variety of schools in southern Saskatchewan until the end of May.
More information about Teddy Anderson can be found on his website, as well as a contact form to book his tour in the future.
